Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2023” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn't actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?
You may or may not have heard of John Proffitt Jr., but it is likely you've heard of Mom's Basement Records (and not just because TGEFM has a tendency to cover a lot of the band's on their roster). The pop-punk/ramonescore-centric label is firing on all cylinders and, well, I'll let you take a big guess what types of albums landed on john's best of list this year…
Hi, John Proffitt from Mom's Basement Records here with my top ten of 2023 list, these are the albums that I've listened to the most. I should note that all of these releases are within the Pop Punk or Ramonescore sub genres of punk, If you are into that sort of thing, I highly recommend these ten full lengths. This list is in no particular order, it was nearly impossible for me to rank them all.
Bad Secret – Land Over (Hey Pizza! Records):
The debut full length from Bad Secret, Land-Over is a killer concept album that a couple demos lead up to and it's a fitting end to the Bad Secret saga. The writing is top notch on this as is the musical ability throughout, not your average pop punk record by a long shot. Seek it out via Hey Pizza Records while you still can, once it's gone, it's gone.
Borderlines – Keep Pretending (Hey Pizza! Records/Mom's Basement Records):
The long awaited debut full length from Borderlines from Maine. Killer pop punk that's leagues above most other bands within the genre. Check this one out for sure, it's available on LP via Hey Pizza Records and CD on Mom's Basement Records.
Jagger Holly – Rivoltella (Monster Zero/Hey Pizza! Records):
The 4th full length from International super stars Jagger Holly. Rivoltella features exactly what you'd expect but twice as much this time around since it's 2xLP! It's great to hear Matt from the legendary DeeCracks take lead vocals on more than one song on this scorcher, this is easily their best full length yet. Check it out via Monster Zero and Hey Pizza Records.
The Haermorrhoids – At The Earths Core (Mom's Basement Records/Monster Zero):
The sophomore full length from German Pop Punkers the Haermorrhoids. Slick production and top notch song writing are present on this one, the two vocalists in the band have two distinctly voices and singing styles, you get sugary sweet vocals from one that are reminiscent of The Windowsill while the other singer has a deeper voiced delivery reminiscent of The Spits. It's a crazy combo that is incredibly effective. Check it out via Mom's Basement Records and Monster Zero!
Lone Wolf – Haze Wave (Stardumb Records):
The 3rd full length from Dutch punk rockers Lone Wolf! Haze Wave is yet another high point for the band. The album is loaded with ear worms and the band flawlessly blends pop punk with a sort of warm garage punk sound. You'll love this album, there's a reason that this band is a favorite at the fest each year. Check it out via Stardumb Records!
Geoff Palmer – An Otherwise Negative Situation (Stardumb Records):
This is gonna sound crazy but this is the best Geoff Palmer full length to date. The first 2 were fantastic and An Otherwise Negative Situation steps up its game without a doubt. It's an absolute masterpiece of a power pop punk album. There's not a bad song found on this must have full length and you can grab yourself a copy via Stardumb Records.
Ed Banky's Car – Meanwhile In Grand Prairie, Texas (Somethings To Do Records):
This is a hidden gem of an album, it was supposed to be released 20 years ago but was shelved due to a tragedy hitting the band. This band would lay dormant after the passing of one of its singers and the other singer would go on to start 41 Gorgeous Blocks. Ed Banky's Car was a staple in the Texas punk rock scene and I'm glad that the album was finally released. Grab a copy over at Something To Do Records.
Young Hasselhoffs – Dear Departed (Mom's Basement Records):
Dear Departed by the Young Hasselhoffs is probably my favorite album of the year, if not my favorite, it's definitely in my top 3 without a question. These dudes take pop punk to a whole other level. A good friend described it as “Pop Punk for grown folk” that's pretty apt. 10 infectiously melodic songs on vinyl or cd
Ghost Party – Afterlife Of The Party (Mom's Basement Records):
Ghost party delivered an absolute masterpiece with their debut Afterlife Of The Party, there's not much more to say than that. Dave from Horror Section fame took a few old songs and wrote some new songs and this is the result. You can expect a dozen plus earworms on this banger. Click the link above and tell me I'm wrong.
McRackins – Wake The Fun Up (Mom's Basement Records):
The McRackins are pop punk royalty, they've been a staple within the scene for decades and no intro is really needed “Wake The Fun Up” is an absolute smasher. If you like pop punk, this album is a no brainer for your top ten, long live the McRackins!
Only problem I see with that list?
No Post Ramone or Young Rochelle’s otherwise? Solid list!